Spool having reversing spiral guide

Abstract

A winding device includes a barrel defining a primary winding area and an auxiliary winding area. A flange wall separates the primary and auxiliary winding areas. A guide pathway directs a flexible material between the primary and auxiliary winding areas and includes opposite end segments curving in a circumferential direction. The pathway also includes a transition segment between the end segments in which the circumferential direction of curvature is reversed to provide for simultaneous winding of material in the primary and auxiliary winding areas. The device may include inserts received within the barrel having channels formed in an outer surface to define the pathway between the inserts and the barrel. Alternatively, the device may include a flange body defining an interior and a cover enclosing the interior. Structure having correspondingly formed first and second parts respectively carried by flange body and cover define the pathway within the interior.

1. A device for winding an elongated flexible material, the winding device comprising:
 an elongated barrel defining a primary winding surface, the barrel positioned about an axis of rotation for the device; 
 a flange wall connected to the barrel and projecting radially outwardly of the primary winding surface; 
 an auxiliary winding surface separated axially from the primary winding surface by the flange wall; and 
 a guide pathway located radially inward of the primary winding surface, the guide pathway including opposite first and second ends respectively communicating with the primary and auxiliary winding surfaces for directing an elongated flexible material therebetween, 
 the guide pathway including first and second end segments, respectively adjoining the first and second ends and interconnected to each other by a transition segment extending in a substantially axial direction, at least a portion of each of the first and second end segments of the guide pathway directing the flexible material in substantially the same circumferential direction with respect to the axis of rotation, the transition segment defining a reversal in the direction of curvature of the guide pathway between the first and second end segments to provide for simultaneous winding of the flexible material onto the primary and auxiliary winding surface during rotation of the device. 
 
   
   
     2. The winding device according to  claim 1 , wherein the barrel includes first and second barrel parts respectively carried by first and second members securable to each other, each of the barrel parts defining a portion of the primary winding surface. 
   
   
     3. The winding device according to  claim 2 , wherein each of the barrel-carrying members includes a cylindrical wall defining the associated barrel part, each barrel-carrying member further including an end wall adjacent an end of the cylindrical wall, the end wall of each barrel-carrying member including at least one opening, the at least one end wall opening of each barrel-carrying member alignable with the at least one end wall opening of the other barrel-carrying member for receipt of a fastener. 
   
   
     4. The winding device according to  claim 1 , wherein the barrel includes opposite ends and wherein the winding device includes two flange walls and two auxiliary winding surfaces, one of the flange walls and one of the auxiliary winding surfaces located adjacent one of the opposite ends of the barrel, and wherein the winding device further includes two guide pathways each having a first end communicating with the primary winding surface and an opposite second end communicating with one of the auxiliary winding surfaces. 
   
   
     5. A device for winding an elongated flexible material, the winding device comprising:
 an elongated barrel defining a primary winding surface, the barrel positioned about an axis of rotation for the device; 
 a flange wall connected to the barrel and projecting radially outwardly from the barrel winding surface; 
 an auxiliary winding surface separated axially from the primary winding surface by the flange wall; and 
 a guide pathway including opposite first and second ends respectively communicating with the primary and auxiliary winding surfaces for directing an elongated flexible material therebetween, 
 the guide pathway including opposite end segments interconnected by a transition segment, at least a portion of each of the end segments of the guide pathway directing the flexible material in a substantially circumferential direction with respect to the axis of rotation, the guide pathway reversing in direction of curvature in the transition segment to provide for simultaneous winding of the flexible material onto the primary and auxiliary winding surface during rotation of the device, wherein at least a portion of the guide pathway is located within an interior area defined by the barrel. 
 
   
   
     6. The winding device according to  claim 5  further including an insert received within the interior area of the barrel through an open end of the barrel, at least a portion of the guide pathway being defined between the insert and the barrel. 
   
   
     7. The winding device according to  claim 6 , wherein a channel is formed in an outer surface of the insert to define the portion of the guide pathway between the outer surface of the insert and an inner surface of the barrel. 
   
   
     8. The winding device according to  claim 6 , wherein a portion of the insert extends from the open end of the barrel to define the auxiliary winding surface. 
   
   
     9. A device for winding an elongated flexible material, the winding device comprising:
 an elongated barrel defining a primary winding surface, the barrel positioned about an axis of rotation for the device; 
 a flange wall connected to the barrel and projecting radially outwardly from the barrel winding surface; 
 an auxiliary winding surface separated axially from the primary winding surface by the flange walk; and 
 a guide pathway including opposite first and second ends respectively communicating with the primary and auxiliary winding surfaces for directing an elongated flexible material therebetween, 
 the guide pathway including opposite end segments interconnected by a transition segment, at least a portion of each of the end segments of the guide pathway directing the flexible material in a substantially circumferential direction with respect to the axis of rotation, the guide pathway reversing in direction in the transition segment to provide for simultaneous winding of the flexible material onto the primary and auxiliary winding surface during rotation of the device; 
 wherein the barrel includes first and second barrel parts respectively carried by first and second members securable to each other, each of the barrel parts defining a portion of the primary winding surface; 
 wherein each of the barrel-carrying members includes a cylindrical wall defining the associated barrel part, each barrel-carrying member further including an end wall adjacent an end of the cylindrical wall, the end wall of each barrel-carrying member including at least one opening, the at least one end wall opening of each barrel-carrying member alignable with the at least one end wall opening of the other barrel-carrying member for receipt of a fastener; and 
 the winding device further including first and second inserts each received within an interior defined by the respective first and second barrel-carrying member, the insert received through an open end of the cylindrical wall opposite the end wall. 
 
   
   
     10. The winding device according to  claim 9 , wherein each of the inserts includes a channel formed in an outer surface of the insert to define the guide pathway between the outer surfaces of the inserts and inner surfaces defined by the cylindrical walls of the barrel-carrying members. 
   
   
     11. A winding spool comprising:
 first and second barrel parts each including a cylindrical wall having an inner surface defining an interior and an outer surface defining a portion of a primary winding area for the winding spool, the cylindrical wall including opposite first and second ends, each of the barrel parts including an end wall connected to the cylindrical wall adjacent to the second end, the end walls of the barrel parts including aligned openings for receiving fasteners to secure the barrel parts to each other; 
 first and second inserts each having a cylindrical outer surface, the inserts respectively received within the interior of the first and second barrel parts through the first ends of the cylindrical wall such that a portion of the insert extends beyond the first end of the cylindrical wall, the extending portion of each of the inserts defining an auxiliary winding area; 
 first and second flange walls respectively connected to the cylindrical wall of the first and second barrel parts, each flange wall located between the portion of the primary winding area defined by the associated barrel part and the auxiliary winding area defined by the associated insert; and 
 first and second guide pathways for respectively directing an elongated flexible material between the primary winding area and the first and second auxiliary winding areas, each guide pathway including opposite ends respectively communicating with the primary winding area and the associated auxiliary winding area, each guide pathway defined by a pair of channels each formed in the outer surface of one of the first and second inserts, each channel including first and second portions, the second portion of each channel extending to an end of the associated insert, the first portion of each channel curving in a substantially circumferential direction with respect to an axis of rotation for the spool, the second portion of each channel oriented substantially axially with respect to the axis of rotation adjacent the end of the insert, each of the channel pairs arranged such that curvature of the resulting guide pathway is reversed in circumferential direction in the second portions of channel pair to provide simultaneous winding of an elongated flexible material in the primary winding area and the associated auxiliary winding area. 
 
   
   
     12. A device for winding an elongated flexible material, the winding device comprising:
 a barrel defining a primary winding area; 
 a flange wall connected to the barrel; 
 an auxiliary winding area separated from the primary winding area by the flange wall; and 
 a guide pathway including opposite first and second ends respectively communicating with the primary and auxiliary winding areas for directing an elongated flexible material therebetween, wherein at least a portion of the guide pathway is located within an interior area defined by the barrel, 
 the guide pathway including opposite end segments interconnected by a transition segment, at least a portion of each of the end segments of the guide pathway curving in a substantially circumferential direction with respect to an axis of rotation of the winding device, the guide pathway reversing in direction of curvature in the transition segment to provide for simultaneous winding of an elongated flexible material in the primary and auxiliary winding areas. 
 
   
   
     13. The winding device according to  claim 12  further including an insert received within the interior of the barrel through an open end of the barrel, at least a portion of the guide pathway being defined between the insert and the barrel. 
   
   
     14. The winding device according to  claim 13 , wherein a channel is formed in an outer surface of the insert to define the portion of the guide pathway between the outer surface of the insert and an inner surface of the barrel. 
   
   
     15. The winding device according to  claim 13 , wherein a portion of the insert extends from the open end of the barrel to define the auxiliary winding area. 
   
   
     16. A device for winding an elongated flexible material, the winding device comprising:
 a barrel defining a primary winding area, wherein the barrel includes first and second barrel parts respectively carried by first and second members securable to each other, each of the barrel parts defining a portion of the primary winding area, wherein each of the barrel-carrying members includes a cylindrical wall defining the associated barrel part and an end wall adjacent an end of the cylindrical wall, the end wall of each barrel-carrying member including at least one opening alignable with the at least one end wall opening of the other barrel-carrying member for receipt of a fastener; 
 a first and second insert each received within an interior defined by the respective first and second barrel-carrying member, the insert received through an open end of the cylindrical wall opposite the end wall; 
 a flange wall connected to the barrel; 
 an auxiliary winding area separated from the primary winding area by the flange wall; and 
 a guide pathway including opposite first and second ends respectively communicating with the primary and auxiliary winding areas for directing an elongated flexible material therebetween, 
 the guide pathway including opposite end segments interconnected by a transition segment, at least a portion of each of the end segments of the guide pathway curving in a substantially circumferential direction with respect to an axis of rotation of the winding device, the guide pathway reversing in direction of curvature in the transition segment to provide for simultaneous winding of an elongated flexible material in the primary and auxiliary winding areas. 
 
   
   
     17. The winding device according to  claim 16 , wherein each of the inserts includes a channel formed in an outer surface of the insert to define the guide pathway between the outer surfaces of the inserts and inner surfaces defined by the cylindrical walls of the barrel-carrying members.